US3292639A - Smoking pipe - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 20, 1966 J. w. ZARIKTA SMOKING PIPE Filed June 15. 1964 INVENTOR. JOSEPH M ZAP/K74 Bar/Q] W United States Patent 3,292,639 SMOKING PIPE Joseph W. Zarikta, Grand Haven, Mich., assignor to Al Cobb Corporation, Grand Haven, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed June 15, 1964, Ser. No. 375,052 1 Claim. (Cl. 131-204) This invention relates to smoking pipes, and more particularly to smoking pipes having inner bowl members of the type which may be removed and replaced whenever desired, such inner bowls being most preferably formed from corn cob.

Pipe smokers have for many years been aware of the distinctive and mellowing effect imparted to tobaccos which are smoked in a corn cob pipe. The true form of such a pipe, i.e. in essence simply a piece of hollow corn cob mounted upon a hollow stem, unfortunately has a great many unpleasant and undesirable attributes which have become almost as well known as its desirable aspects. For example, such pipes are quite unattractive in appearance, having a crude and unfinished exterior. Furthermore, since the cob structure acts as a natural filter, in timeit becomes saturated with filtered substances such as tars and the like. This causes unnecessary expense and unnecessary irritations as well, since no single pipe ever attains the status of well-used familiarity or feel which is desired by most pipe smokers.

As a result of these undesirable attributes of ordinary corn cob pipes, there have been a few attempts in the past to produce a pipe which would have a pleasing and durable exterior, and yet would in some manner incorporate a corn cob inner bowl, which preferably could be replaced whenever desired. Unfortunately, none of these pipes ever achieved lasting success, since all of them overlooked several problems which were so serious that in the last analysis this species of pipe was only slightly more desirable than was its original crude predecessor.

Basically, these problems centered upon the characteristic tendency of corn cob to burn away after being repeatedly exposed to the temperatures normally present in pipe bowls. As a result of this tendency, the bottoms of the corn cob inner bowls would very quickly burn away, allowing bits of tobacco and live embers to communicate directly with the stem of the pipe, thereby causing great discomfort to the smoker. Furthermore, the absorption of tars and other substances by the cob structure caused the sides of the inner bowl to swell outwardly, resulting in the seizure of the inner and outer bowls. Thus, not only did the corn cob bowls burn out so quickly that they were economically unfeasible; they could not even be extracted from the outer bowl of the pipe when they became burned out, and actually had to be cut or broken away.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention to provide a smoking pipe having a removable inner corn cob member for the smoking bowl which includes aheatresistance lining element for the bottom of the corn cob bowl which prevents the same from burning out.

Another important advantage of this invention is the provision of a relieved chamber between the sides of the corn cob inner bowl and the adjacent sides of the outer bowl portion of the pipe, whereby the corn cob bowl will always remain readily removable from the outer bowl, even though the same corn cob be used many times and undergo a great deal of expansion.

These and other additional objects and advantages will become increasingly apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a central sectional view of the completely assembled smoking pipe of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded fragmentary view of the pipe stern, showing the method of sealing the same; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective central section. of the corn cob inner bowl, showing in detail the heat-resistant lining element incorporated therein.

In brief, this invention concerns smoking pipes of the kind having more-or-less permanent outer bowl portions and removable or interchangeable corn cob inner bowl members for inside the permanent bowls. A heat-resistant lining element is provided for the bottom of the corn cob inner bowl, so that the same will not be burned through. Further, the invention includes forming a relieved chamber between the sides of the corn cob inner bowl and adjacent sides of the outer bowl so that the inherent swelling of the corn cob cannot cause the seizure of the inner and outer bowls. .This relieved chamber is preferably wider at the bottom of the bowl than at the top, since the greatest swelling takes place at this point. In addition, the smoking pipe of this invention includes sealing means which are insertable between the outer bowl portion and the stem of the pipe, so that the alternate heating and cooling of the pipe .as it is used over a period of time will not cause loosening of the stem.

Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in FIG. 1 my smoking pipe 10 is seen to comprise an outer bowl portion 12, a stem portion 14, and a removable inner bowl member 16. The inner bowl 16 is freely removable from the outer bowl portion 12, and in order to insure that it remain so, a relieved chamber 18 is formed between the sides of the two bowls 12 and 16. The chamber 18 may be formed in a variety of specific shapes, but it should preferably extend the entire vertical length of the inner bowl and completely about the circumference of the same. Also, I prefer to enlarge the chamber 18 near the bottom of the bowl, since tars and moisture may collect here and since this area is usually the hottest of any on the pipe. Hence'the cob will exhibit its greatest swelling in this area.

The interior of the outer bowl portion 12 is preferably formed so as to have a circumferential shoulder 20 a short distance above its bottom extremity. A matching shoulder 22 (see FIG. 3) is formed on the bottom of the inner bowl 16, so that when the latter is inserted into the outer bowl 12 in the manner shown in FIG. 1, the shoulders 20 and 22 will come into engagement, thereby positiom'ng and supporting the inner bowl within the outer one. In order for the pipe to draw properly, the inner bowl must at all times be firmly seated against the outer bowl since otherwise air will flow between the two bowls rather than through the interior of the inner bowl and out the smoke passage 28. In order to assure the firm seating of the shoulders 20 and 22 of the two bowls against each other, a collar 24 is provided for the outer bowl 12, which by a suitable engagement therewith (such as by threading the two members) contacts the top of inner bowl 16 and retains it in its proper position within the outer bowl. I

It should be noted that in the preferred embodiment illustrated herein, the shoulders 20 and 22 of the inner and outer bowls are positioned at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the bowls. This unique feature not only provides for the correct positioning and seating of the inner bowl within the outer bowl when the former is newly inserted into the latter, but also insures that this position and seating are maintained during long usage of the pipe. It accomplishes this because the shoulder of the outer bowl provides a surface along which the inner bowl may expand during the swelling noted previously. Because of the angular position of the shoulder, any swelling undergone by the inner bowl will actually cause it to become increasingly more firmly retained between the shoulder 20 at its bottom and the threaded remains between the bottom of the two bowls.

28 formed therein. The trap 26 communicates with the stem 14 by means of a smoke passage 30. The trap serves to collect the various tars and moistures generated by smoking the pipe, and thereby prevents these substances from entering the stem 14 and possibly coming into contact with the tongue and mouth of the smoker.

As may be seen in FIGS. land 3, the bottom extremities of the generally cylindrical inner bowl 16 form inwardly-directed flange portions which decrease in thickness toward the inside of the inner bowl. 'The inwardlydirected surfaces of these flange portions define a cavity 32 formed in the bottom of the removable corn cob inner bowl 16. A heat-resistant lining means or element 34, which is preferably made of a suitable ceramic material, is provided in the cavity 32. Although within the broader aspects of the invention the shape of the lining means. 34 may possibly take many different forms, this element preferably has a shallow concave, or dished, :upper surface which is well adapted to support a bed of hotcoal-s, and a somewhat narrower lower portion or neck which adjoins the surface of the cavity 32.

This lining is preferably formed by placing the unhardened ceramic material in the cavity 32 of the bowl 16, seen in FIG. 3, and hardening it in place within the cavity, although within the broadest aspects of this invention it is conceivable that it might also be practiced by forming the lining 34 and cavity 32 separately and subsequently inserting the former into the latter.

Additionally, I wish to make it clear that the cavity 32 may, if desired, extend completely through the bottom of the removable inner bowl 16, thereby actually becoming an aperture. Whatever configuration be given the cavity 32, the bottom of the lining 34 should, of course, be formed so as to closely coincide therewith. Finally, the smoke passage 28 noted previously extends through the lining 34 and the removable bowl 16, in which the latter is positioned.

As seen inFIGS. 1 and 2, the outer bowl portion 12 is joined with a stern portion 14, preferably by shaping the latter so as to be slidably insertable within the former. Because diflerent materials for forming the bowl 12 and ,stem 14 are very often chosen, these parts will have dissimilar rates of contraction and expansion when exposed to the heat generated by smoking the pipe. Consequently, sealing means 36 are provided by which these differences in expansion .and contraction may be compensated for,

thereby retaining a snug fit between the outer bowl 12 i and the stem 14 at all times. The sealing means 36 is preferably an O-ring, which is seated within an annular groove 38 formed on the stem :14.

As may be readily perceived by the foregoing descrip tion of my improved smoking pipe, I have provided a pipe which for the first time presents an attractive and durable exterior, and yet which has all of the desired smok g qualities of the simple corn cob pipe. Moreover, the corn cob inner bowls of my pipe are not easily burned out at their bottom. They therefore may be used as long as they are fresh or properly seasoned, and'dis- I carded only. when the smoker ihimself chooses, as when they become so saturated with undesirable tars, etc., that they no longer properly flavor and filter the smoke. The pipe thereby provides greater smoking pleasure at a lower cost. Finally, the relieved chamber positioned between the sides of the corn cob inner bowl and the sides of the outer bowl portion accommodate the characteristic swelling of the corn cob as it absorbs nicotinous tars and the like, and this chamber thereby insures that the inner bowl will always be readily removable from the outer bowl portion, whenever a new corn cob'is desired to be inserted therein.

While I have set forth the embodiment of this invention most preferred by me, other embodiments involving variations in form and structure but incorporating my inventive concept may occur to others after studying this description. Accordingly, the inventive concept involved herein should be limited only as is expressly set forth in the below-appended claim.

I claim:

A smoking pipe, comprising: an outer bowl having a concavity therein; a generally cylindrical inner bowl of corncob insertable within said concavity such that the lower extremity of said inner bowl is supported by interior portions of said outer bowl; said inner bow] having inwardly-directed flange portions near the end thereof closest the :bottom of said concavity; said flange portions decreasing in thickness toward their innermost extremities to define generally conicalfiange surfaces located at grooves formed thereupon; a circular hardened ceramic liner having a central aperture therethrough and sup-,

ported upon said flange surfaces; said liner having a series of alternating grooves and ridges formed on its lower surfaces to be received by said flange surface ridges and grooves in mating relationship; said liner further having a smooth concalve dish-like upper surface adapted to. support a charge of tobacco thereupon; said inner and outer bowls defining a space located between the bottom of said outer bowl concavity and the bottom of said inner bowl and in communication with said liner aperture, such that smoke may pass through the said aperture and into the said space; and stem means in communica-. tion with said space, for drawing smoke therefrom.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 451,313 4/1891 Weinrnann 131-205 1,170,465 2/1916 Strong 131-205 X 1,480,268 1/ 1924 Kidwell 13 l205 1,978,393 10/ 1934 Dickinson 131-220 3,106,922 10/1963 Hefti 131--225 X 3,170,468 2/1965 Smith 131-225 X FOREIGN PATENTS 11,663 5/ 1911 Great Britain.

- SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH S, REICH, Examiner, p

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